The Chipette Necklace and the Camera
by Vanille Strawberry
Summary: Jeanette smiled softly at the photograph of her younger self, an arm wrapped around Simon’s neck, one of his hands framing her face as he leaned down and kissed her softly. Oneshot. Merry Christmas!


**Disclaimer: I do not own Alvin and the Chipmunks :(**

A/N: TWO DAYS 'TILL CHRISTMAS GUYS! My bestie (who is probably reading this and smirking) got me the Alvin and the Chipmunk DVD for Christmas and I retaliated by getting her the Michael Bubbles CD. Oh, and guess who saw The Squeakquel movie? I did XD There wasn't enough Jeanette X Simon so to make myself feel better-- and any other fans of this pairing-- I wrote this! Kinda dedicated to my awesome-sauce friend Ríbee who is my Chipmunk buddy.

Don't you love the title? :3

Enjoy!

* * *

-The Chipette Necklace and the Camera-

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There were tantrums, there were tears and there was yelling all across the house. The sound of stomping feet resonated like cannon shots and Simon looked up from his paper with a dark scowl at his wife who was preparing the Christmas Eve dinner on the island. She rubbed at her forehead, flour and breadcrumbs smearing on her face at the action.

"What?" Jeanette asked when she saw the way he was looking at her. Simon rolled his eyes as their eldest child shrieked about the unfairness of being born into this dysfunctional family.

"Oh, nothing," he said sweetly and dipped back into his paper.

"Might I remind you," Jeanette began in a conversational tone, which never seemed to work in Simon's favour. "That Christmas at your house was so much worse when we were kids." And she flashed him a heavenly smile that only made him glower more deeply.

Simon looked at her slightly from over his paper. She was right of course but he would not give her the satisfaction of knowing that. He only flinched as the sound of a slamming door from upstairs and let out a sigh. Folding his paper, he leant back into his chair and watched Jeanette dejectedly.

"It wasn't _that _bad," he mumbled.

Jeanette dusted her hands off her grubby apron, eyes trained on her cookie cutters with interest. She could not choose which shapes to use for the children who each had a different idea on how cookies should look. Jeanette chuckled mildly as memories of Christmases past rippled in her memory.

"No, of course not." She fingered a star shape and applied it to her cookie dough masterfully, just how Eleanor had thought her.

There was a moment of silence and Jeanette fumbled clumsily with a heart shaped cutter when Simon cut through the spell in a tentative voice. "You had fun though, didn't you?"

"What?" Jeanette regained her composure and leant against the counter to look at her husband. His face was turned away from her but she could still see the creeping blush spreading across his neck. He was embarrassed. She still found it sweet.

"Oh, Simon," she sighed. He perked at the sound of his name and looked so much like their little Jordan as he pouted at her that it made Jeanette giggle into her chest.

"So?" He said seriously, his eyes as round as saucers.

She bat him away and went back to her cookies, now and again chuckling as his words replayed in her head. Simon grunted and got up from his seat, drifting lazily throughout the house. He wandered upstairs when the noise level escalated dangerously and was not too surprised to find his daughter and son scuffling in the middle of the hallway.

They stopped when the saw him. Cassandra had her little brother pinned and her elbow digging into his abdomen, Jordan holding a fistful of his sisters brown hair tightly. They were both on the floor. Simon arched an eyebrow at them and crossed his arms.

They knew the drill well enough. Cassandra liberated her brother with a menacing look and Jordan stuck out his tongue at her, both rising to their feet to stand before their father. He scrutinised them severely and prepared himself for the onslaught.

"Would someone like to tell me why you were fighting?"

And this opened the floodgates. Cassandra projected into a long tirade about her brother's character and his impossible ways while Jordan narrated his sister's obscenities and bossiness with exaggerated hand gestures. Each of their stories were lost in the hubbub and Simon gave up trying to decipher what his children were telling him and merely let them exhaust themselves.

They finished together, panting and glaring daggers, leaving Simon time to create his own conclusion. He decided with some consideration, that it would be too much effort and pointed at his son with a finger.

"You leave your sister alone and go busy yourself." Jordan frowned and went off in a sulk. "And you, young lady," said Simon, rounding on his daughter who's victorious expression dissolved. "--have got to mind your own business. If Jordan is doing something he shouldn't just come to us. Don't get involved."

"But, Dad!" She started, looking outraged.

"Not another word." Simon gave her a hard look and she fell promptly silent. "Why don't you go and read one of your books? Aunt Eleanor just gave us back Black Beauty a few days ago; I think it's in the library."

Cassandra brightened at this. "Really?" And without waiting for an answer she scampered off and left Simon looking after her, shaking his head and wondering why she couldn't have stayed small and shy.

Downstairs Jeanette had shoved the tray off cookies into the oven and set the timer appropriately. She was lounging at the table with a book in hand that she put down when Simon entered. She smiled at him with a raised brow.

"Settled the dispute?"

"Yes, I'm still not sure what it was about." Simon sat heavily across from her and glanced at their clock. "What time were your sisters and my brothers supposed to come at?"

"About five," replied Jeanette absentmindedly. "Theodore's going to pick up Miss Miller and David beforehand. Eleanor said he'd come along after."

Simon grinned at the prospect of sharing a meal with his whole family. They did not see as much of Dave and Miss Miller as they wanted and it was truly a treat when everyone could come together to celebrate and be merry. The kids just adored the idea of having their grandparents united under one roof.

However, a thought struck him. Jeanette, with that uncanny ability to sense what he was thinking and feeling, nodded at the question in his head.

"Britney phoned and said they'd go and fetch your mother. They might be a little late." She put her hand over his and he rubbed her fingers in response.

"That's good. I was worried for a moment. It wouldn't be Christmas without her."

Jeanette smiled slowly as she imagined a Christmas without Miss Miller and how impossible it seemed not to have her included. The woman could not be forgotten when it came to family gatherings and celebrations. She had been the Chipette's mother for as long as they could remember and even if they were not tied by blood, there was something deeper linking them.

"You never answered my question," Simon whispered, piercing through Jeanette's fog. She shook her head and blinked at him.

"Your question?"

"You didn't think the Christmases when we were kids were bad, did you?"

Jeanette stopped. She let the ghost of years past wash over her as she pondered this.

* * *

"JEANETTE!"

The young Chipette glanced from her untidy last minute gift-wrapping to see her sister looking murderous in the centre of the living room. Eleanor was standing by the doorway uneasily, debating with herself whether she should make her presence known to the other two. Jeanette thought she had picked the right decision when the youngest Chipette drifted out quietly.

"Yes, Britney?" Jeanette sighed, trying to shake off the bits of paper that were glued to her fingers. She was sure she had some stuck in her hair too.

"I can't find my outfit! What did you do with it?" Britney roared with an angry stomp. Jeanette was hurt that her sister would think she had taken her dress and scowled at her in response.

"I didn't touch your outfit, Britney. Why don't you ask Miss Miller? I've got all these presents to wrap …" and Jeanette trailed off with a contemplative hum and continued with her task. Britney threw her hands up in surrender and trudged to the other side of the house to ask Miss Miller on the whereabouts of her outfit.

An hour later Eleanor and Jeanette were waiting impatiently by the door with wrapped packages and gifts for the three boys across the road. Miss Miller put all of these in a large shopping bag, which would be easier to carry, and tapped her foot against the carpet.

"Where's Britney?" she asked the other two with a mystified look.

"Getting ready," replied Eleanor dryly.

"For the past hour," put in Jeanette with a heavy sigh. It wasn't as if they were going to a concert or anything. Alvin, Theodore and Simon were not expecting anything very special of them. Christmas was quite a casual affair for the two families.

"BRITNEY!" Jeanette and Eleanor cringed as Miss Miller bellowed, "WE'RE GOING NOW!"

"Coming!"

Britney erupted from the top floor with a new sequined dress that looked much too expensive to be worn for a day out at the Seville's. Eleanor eyed it sceptically as Jeanette only sighed again and opened the front door.

Dave opened the door when they knocked. His eyes lingered on Britney's dress in a disapproving father like way before he allowed them in out of the cold. The boys were there to welcome them and take their coats like little rehearsed gentlemen. Eleanor giggled when Theodore made a sweeping gesture to the living room.

"After you, m'lady."

She took his arm and winked at her sisters as he led her proudly towards the Christmas tree. Miss Miller shoved the shopping bag full of gifts into Dave's arms and clapped her hands delightedly at the decorations.

"Oh, Dave! How wonderful!"

Dave chuckled behind Jeanette and asked the Chipette's guardian if she wanted some hot chocolate before the festivities began. It was only then that the bespectacled Chipette registered the hovering Simon at her side.

"Yes?" she asked him sweetly. He looked like he wanted to say something but shook his head and pointed to Britney.

"What _is _she wearing?"

Jeanette glanced to her older sister bickering (already?) with Alvin in the corner by the stairs, her dress was the shiniest item in the hallway by far. An indescribable feeling of relief spread through her as Jeanette noticed the look of distaste and disapproval on Simon's face. Nevertheless, there was also that sibling instinct that Jeanette could not ignore and she defended her sister half-heartedly.

"It's only a Christmas outfit, Simon," she said flatly. "Not a big deal."

He shrugged and said nothing more. Instead, he motioned her wordlessly to the living room where Theodore and Eleanor were playing a game of Monopoly on the floor. The two looked up when they saw Jeanette and Simon enter.

"Hey guys! You wanna play?" Theodore piped up.

"No thank you, Theodore," said Jeanette politely. "I just feel like relaxing to be honest. But I'll watch if you want."

"Same here," said Simon quickly before his brother could question his own inclusion. Eleanor nodded her consent and she and Theodore dipped back into their game.

Jeanette settled on the sofa, looking at the two young Chipmunks game with some feigned interest. She wasn't too keen on this board game. Of course, she wasn't prepared to tell Theodore that any time soon. Instead, she let her eyes trace the Seville's living room, documenting each difference between theirs and her own back home.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Simon asked as he settled besides her on the sofa.

"I'm not thinking of much to be honest." She reclined into the soft cushions with a yawn. "Just how warm your house is."

Simon chuckled and cleaned his glasses with a corner of his shirt. It looked brand new and expensive. Jeanette did not think she had ever seen it before. He'd never dressed specially for Christmas before.

"Dave and I chopped some wood earlier for a fire. We had one lit all morning."

"PRESENTS!" someone yelled over the easy conversation the four chipmunks had indulged themselves in. Theodore, Eleanor Simon and Jeanette all jumped as Alvin scurried in followed by a glaring Britney.

"Me first, Furball!" she shrieked, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him back. Alvin gagged a little but regained composure enough to yank the back of her dress.

Eleanor put a hand to her forehead and let out a moan.

"Guys, wait for Dave and Miss Miller!" Simon yelled over their fighting.

At the sound of their names being called, the two adults came running in quickly, letting out a breath each. Jeanette thought she heard them muttering 'damn presents' under their breaths before Dave announced he was getting the camcorder. When he came back, Alvin and Britney were the firsts to rip into their gifts.

Jeanette was thrilled with what she received. Some new earrings from Britney that were made from their birthstone, a Taylor Swift CD from Eleanor, a biography of Albert Einstein's life from Theodore along with some homemade brownies, and a signed picture of Alvin from Alvin.

"What a thoughtful gift," said Jeanette slowly, turning the picture over to see if there was anything else she should know about it.

"You can put that under your pillow at night," he said waggling his eyebrows. "Alvin Seville is always close to a girl's heart."

Jeanette was surprised and more than a little pleased when she noticed the death glare Simon was giving his brother.

"Oh, suck it up, Alvin. Why don't you tell Jeanette the real reason you gave her a picture of you?"

Alvin stuck his tongue out at his younger brother and bit back, "I gave it to her because every pretty girl should have a picture of me. Jealous, Simon?" Alvin smirked. In truth he'd forgotten to buy Jeanette a present and had seen the picture as an easy way out.

Then to the whole room's astonishment, Simon growled and launched himself at his brother, wrestling him to the ground. Theodore jumped into the fracas to prise his brothers apart but was knocked aside and welled in tears instead. He ran out of the room with Eleanor following at his heels.

Dave put down his camcorder quickly and took hold of his son's shoulders, holding the shaking Simon steady as he breathed heavily and glared at his older brother. Alvin who was a little unfocused, shook himself and glared back unabashedly.

"Boys," Britney muttered dully from her spot.

Jeanette blinked at Simon and erupted into a shy smile despite herself. She didn't care that Miss Miller was muttering in her corner, that Dave was giving them a lecture, that Britney was moaning about Alvin or even that Theodore was nursing his wounds in another room in the house with Eleanor … well, she did kind of care about the last one. She would have to go check on him.

"He started it!" Alvin stomped and jabbed a finger at the tall chipmunk that was still red from anger.

Dave frowned at his son and Jeanette recoiled from the look. It was the expression of disappointment. He turned to Simon who would not meet his eye and said quietly, "What you did was wrong, Simon. Apologise to your brother."

Jeanette could see Simon's shoulders grow rigid and his jaw clench, but he did as he was told and held out his hand for a truce. Alvin shook it reluctantly.

"Sorry," he said through clenched teeth.

"Truce," they both muttered.

"Better," said Dave with a relieved sigh. "I'm going to go and check on Theodore. You boys behave." And Jeanette blushed when his eyes settled on her.

Alvin stuffed his hands in his pockets and glared at the assembly of people in the room. Miss Miller had since fallen asleep in her armchair and Britney was sitting at her feet, trying on the different makeup products she had received.

"I'm outta here." And Alvin gathered up his presents and left.

"Sorry about that," said Simon quietly, his eyes following his brother's departure from the room icily. He had his face turned away from her, arms crossed tightly over his chest. It was a position Jeanette was familiar with as he used it often enough.

"No, that's fine." Jeanette ignored Britney's scoff and decided that she might as well ask Simon what he thought of his gift. However, before she could the Chipmunks came up to her with his unwrapped present in hand.

"I didn't open it yet." He smiled at her shyly. Jeanette bowed her head and looked at him through her lashes. "And I see that you haven't opened your present from me either." He dropped a small blue gift in her outstretched arms and cleared his throat.

"Ugh!" said Britney with a groan. "I cannot stay in here a second longer with the two of you!" She gathered her things and walked out in a huff, throwing over her shoulder, "Christmas. UGH!"

"Britney!" Jeanette gasped after her.

"Leave her," said Simon flatly. "She's right anyway. Christmas is just a holiday made up by companies to generate more money."

Jeanette bit her lip and did not reply. To her Christmas had always been so much more. It was a time for family and friends. It was a celebration of love and comfort, something that the Chipettes had lacked for so long before coming into Miss Miller's care. She cherished those Christmas evenings by the fire with their adoptive mother, reading bedtime stories and sharing mince pies as they watched TV.

Mill Miller grunted in her sleep and it sparked Jeanette's hands to work. She tore at the blue wrapping slowly, feeling nervous because Simon was watching her so attentively. She could feel the tension in the room stretch around them both like an elastic band.

"Oh, Simon!"

It was a small purple velvet box and when her fumbling fingers opened it, inside lay a snug little necklace spelling out the words: Chipette. On the back of the 'C' in Chipette, was a tiny engraved sentence that she had to squint at closely.

"To my favourite Chipette. Love Simon." recited the Chipmunks lowly, his face close to hers and his eyes downcast. Jeanette felt a powerful grin blossoming and did not attempt to stop it.

"Open yours," she said. "I don't think it'll be as good as this though." She raised her new favourite piece of jewellery for him to see.

"O-okay." He swallowed and began to tear at the wrapping of his present quickly; letting bits of paper fall to the ground in untidy heaps. Jeanette fastened her pendant around her neck and watched him anxiously.

Then he let out a very un-Simon like squeal. "Jeanette! You didn't!"

He was holding a medium sized cardboard box with the picture of a professional looking camera in the front. Jeanette was pleased to see him gaping at it and his glasses slid down the length of his nose as he hurriedly opened it up and took out his gift.

"It's the Nikon D3X! John Shaw uses the same one for his National Geographic shots!"

Jeanette giggled. She had overheard him trying to convince Dave about getting him one but the man had flat out refused because it was Theodore's year to get a large present. And with the money the Chipette had saved over the year, buying it had been no problem really. Miss Miller had even chipped in a little when Jeanette had told her.

He looked up from his fawning and Jeanette squeaked in surprise when she somehow found herself in is arms. "This is incredible, Jeanette! You're amazing!"

She pressed her ear to his chest and listened to the sound of Simon's heartbeat with a slow smile. "So are you."

He chuckled. "If you say so."

Somehow, it did not matter that Eleanor who still hadn't opened her own gift was leading in a tear-free Theodore, or that the sound of Britney and Alvin fighting drifted in from upstairs or that Dave's usual line resonated throughout the house.

"AAAAAAAAAAAALVIN!"

Simon looked down and Jeanette looked up. She had two fingers protectively placed over her pendant and Simon held his camera to the side away from them both before leaning down gently and kissing her. A flash went off and Jeanette smiled into his lips, as several fireworks seemed to go off in her head and heart.

"Merry Christmas," Simon whispered when they had gently broken apart. Jeanette watched him foggily with a dreamy expression.

And somewhere behind them Britney's voice cut in angrily. "Alvin Seville! My little sister was nowhere near mistletoe! And it was your brother who kissed her first!"

Simon laughed and wrapped his free arm around the Chipette as she leaned up and kissed him gently.

* * *

Jeanette watched her husband with a tender expression as she re-entered the present and the sound of a young Alvin angrily retorting to Britney faded into silence. Simon was looking at her expectantly. Instead of an answer, Jeanette got up and winked at him over her shoulder.

Several hours later, the house was filled to the brim with noise of all kinds. Cassandra and Jordan were playing noisily with their oldest cousin as the adults sat around the living room conversing in varied tones. Simon was enthusiastically telling his father and mother about a new book he was about to publish on Quantum Physics as Jeanette served the aged Miss Miller some hot chocolate.

"Oh, Jeanette dear," said the old woman as Theodore and Eleanor's little girls played around her feet with some building blocks. "Isn't that picture just adorable?"

Jeanette turned to the picture Miss Miller was pointing to. Britney besides the woman pat her arm sympathetically. "It really is, Mom."

"So cute!" Eleanor agreed from her seat in Theodore's arms.

"Adorable," said Dave and Vinny together, making Simon blush like a young boy again.

"My little brothers got guts," said Alvin nursing a mug of hot chocolate with his young son jiggling on his knees.

Jeanette smiled softly at the photograph of her younger self, an arm wrapped around Simon's neck, one of his hands framing her face as he leaned down and kissed her softly. Jeanette fingered her Chipette necklace gently and caught Simon's eye from across the room.

'Best Christmas ever,' she mouthed and he beamed, eyes shinning beneath his glasses.

* * *

A/N: Getting myself a professional camera for Christmas, just like Simon :) It's awesome too! I can't wait to find it under the tree. Hope you enjoyed!


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